American Exports: Tijuana march on to Liga MX semifinals

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Club Tijuana took another step towards the Liga MX title on Sunday, with Edgar Castillo and Greg Garza featuring in a 1-1 draw against Monterrey that saw los Xolos advance 2-1 on aggregate to the semifinals.

Castillo went the full 90 minutes and played a solid game at left back, while Garza – the midweek hero after scoring the winning goal – came on in the 70th to play down the left with Castillo.

Tijuana win a date with Club León in the semifinals, with the first leg scheduled for midweek and the return leg next weekend.

Joe Corona was again an unused sub for Tijuana, who have now lost only once in 17 games.

In the Liga de Ascenso, Lobos BUAP pulled off an incredible feat by winning 4-0 on Saturday against Mérida and going through to the semifinals 4-3 on aggregate. Marco Vidal wasn't involved for Lobos BUAP, but Isaac Acuña came on at halftime for Mérida.

There were also plenty of Americans in action in the Under-20 playoffs in Mexico. Ventura, Calif., native Bernabé Magaña played the full game in goal for Pumas UNAM on Saturday but couldn't keep out Ernest Nungaray's Morelia. Nungaray also went 90 minutes in his team's 2-0 victory.

It was a good weekend for Benji Joya, who scored an 11th-minute goal in Santos Laguna's 4-2 victory over Toluca, also Saturday, while striker Daniel Cuevas came on for the Guerreros for last 20 minutes of the match

In Guatemala on Sunday, defender Moises Hernandez played the full game in Comunicaciones' 4-0 victory over Suchitepéquez. Hernandez picked up a yellow card in the 39th, but his performance received positive press in the Central American country.

Finally, in El Salvador, Derby Carrillo finished his season off with another start in Santa Tecla's 3-1 loss on Saturday to Águila.